Drag-line bucket



H. L MITCHELL DRAGLINE BUCKET June 24, 1930.

Filed Dec. 20, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l www MMMMM ATTORNEY June 24, 1930. H. l.. MITCHELL 1,757,591

DRAGLINE BUCKET Filed Dec. 20, 1926 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Patented Juney 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOLGER L. MITCHELL, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HARNISGHFEGIB CORPORATION, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN DRAG-LINE BUCKET Application filed December 20, 1926. Serial No, 155,785.

This invention relates to an improvement in dragline buckets of the type wherein the hauling line or dragline is connected to the forward ends of the sides of the bucket and the hoisting line is connected to the sides of the bucket intermediate the forward an rearward ends thereof.

Heretofore in the art, with this type of bucket, the sides had a tendency to, and frequently were, bent or pulled toward each other due tothe strains imposed thereon by the dragline and hoisting line. Such a distortion of the bucket is undesirable for several reasons, the princi al disadvantages being that the capacity o the bucket is reduced, its ability to lill and to unload quickly impaired and its strength and durability diminished.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a bucket of this type which may be conveniently and easily constructed from sheet metal of ordinary weight and thickness and yet is so braced and `strengthened as to maintain its form and resist distortion even when subjected to the severe stresses imposed thereon by the dragline and the hoist line duringthe operation of the bucket.

In carrying out the present invention, the 3o dragline bucket comprises a bucket body which may be constructed of a single piece of metal shaped and folded to provide a bottom, a pair of Vsides cent edges of the sides and backcontacting and being welded together. If desirable, the bucket body may be constructed of two pieces of metal, one piece being shaped and folded to provide the bottom and sides and the other piece being shaped to'constitute the back. When the bucket body is constructed of two pieces of metal, the side edges of the back are welded to the rear edges of the sides as in the single piece bucket and, in addition, the lower edge of the back iswelded to the rear edge of the bottom.

The bucket body so constructed is strengthened, stiffened and braced by means of a tubular or box section bridge having an arched portion overlying the bucket body and a back, the adjaand having depending portions or extem sions flatly engaging the sides and Awelded thereto. The tubular, box-like form of thebracing bridge is preferably attained by building up the bridge of a bottom plate, a top plate and Z-bars interposed between the top plate and the bottom plate and welded thereto.

The bucket is further stren thened, stiffened and braced by means o longitudinal bracing members welded to the side lates and overlapping and welded to the en portions of the bridge. the bucket body not overlapped by the bridge are strengthened, braced by bracing and welded thereto.

Cutting or digging means is provided on the bucket and is mounted thereon in novel manner.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation showing a bucket embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a View thereof in side elevation;

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the blank from which the' bucket body is developed;

Figure 4 is a fragmentaryview in transverse section on line 4-4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in vertical section on line 5 5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View in horizontal section on line 6-6 of Figure 2; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional vieW on line 7-7 of Figure 1,

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the dragline bucket embodying the presstrips extending along ent invention comprises a bucket body which may be constructed of a single piece of sheet steel cut out and shaped as shown in Figure 3 and bent or folded along lines a, b and c to provide a bottom plate l, sides plates 2,

stifl'ened and The upper edges of n and a back plate 3. The curved rear edges of the side plates 2 contact with the curved side edges of back plate 3 and Aare welded thereto. If desirable, the back plate 3' may be made of'a separate piece of metal and in such event not'only are its curved side edges welded to the rear 'edges of the side plates, but its lower ed e is welded to the rea'r edge of the bottom p ate. A

For the purpose of stiifening, strengthening and bracing the bucket body, a tubular or box-like bracing bridge, designated generally at 5, is provided and has an arched portion 6 overlying the bucket body andvdepending ortions 7 extending down along the outsi e of and secured to the side plates of the bucket body at the forward ends thereof. v The bridge 5 is built of a bottom plate 8, a top plate 9, and Z-bars 10. The 'end portions of the bottom plate v8 flatly engage the outer surfaces of the forward end portions of the side plates of the bucket, but above the bucket body this bottom plate 8 is curved or arched, as shown in the drawings The top plate 9 for the major portion of its extent is disposed above and in spaced relation to the bottom plate 8 and between the plates 8 and 9 the Z-bars 10 are lnterposed. As shown, the top plate 9 is of slightl yless width and also of less length than t e bottom plate 8, the top plate 9 engaging and being welded to the upper flanges 10` of the Z-bars, while the bottom plate 8 engages and is welded to the lower flanges 10b thereof. The Z-bars -10 terminate above the lower ends of the bottom plate 8 and have the flanges 10a and the body portions thereof cut away. The to plate 9 is bent in around'the cutaway en s of the Z- bars and has itsext-remities bearing a ainst and welded to the outer faces of the en portions of the bottom plate. In this way a tubular or boxlike bracing bridge of light weight, but of great strength and stiffness, is provided. This tubular bracing bridge rigidly maintains the side walls of the bucket in spaced relation and prevents distortion or collapsing of the side walls without adding materially to the weightlof the bucket.'

It is to be noted that the ends of the bottom plate 8 of the bridge are enlarged as indicated at 8a and these enlarged ends are welded to the side plates of the bucket. Thus the bridge distributes its bracing, strengthening and stiflening action over a relatively large area of the side plates of the bucket. A

The body of the bucket is further strengthened, braced and stifened by means of longitudinally extending, bracing or reinforcing members 15, the members 15 preferably taking the form of plates which flatly engage and are welded to the end portions 8 of the bottom plate 8 of the bridge and which also .fiatly engage and are welded to filler pieces 16, the iiller pieces, in turn, being welded to the side lates of the bucket. The reinforcin and Ibracing plates 15 are themselves sti ened and strengthened by pressing out portions thereof, as indicated at 15".

The end portions 8Il of the bottom plate of the bridge overlap considerable portions of the upper edges of the side plates of the bucket body and the' portions of such edges not overlapped in this manner are reinforced, strengthened and stiffened by strips 2O extending around the outside of vsuch edges and around the outside of the upper e'ge of the back plate and welded to such e ges.

Cuttingor digging means is provided on the bucket and consists of a plurality of excavating teeth 25 mounted on the bottom.

plate 1 and on a mounting bar 26. The mounting bar 26 has attached ortions 27a suitably secured to the side p ates of the bucket and it has a main portion 27 extendin around and snugly engaging the outer si e of the bottom of the bucket adjacent the forward edge thereof. This main portion 27 of the bar projects beyond the front edge of the bottom plate of the bucket. Each excavating tooth 25 has its rear portion formed with a slot 28 defining an upper attaching section' 29 and a lower attaching sect-ion 30 on each tooth. The slot 28 is of different widths, so that the upper attaching section 29 ilatly engages the upper surface of the projecting end of the bar 26 for a portion of its extent and flatly engages the upper surface of the bottom of the bucket for` a` portion of its extent. The lower section 30 engages the under surface of the body portion 27 of the bar 26 throughout its extent. Fastening devices 31 secure both sections of the tooth 25 to the projecting portion of the bar, fastening devices 32 secure both sections of the tooth to the bar 26 and to the bottom plate '1 and fastening devices 33 secure the lower section of the tooth to the bottom plate and to the bar.

Clevises 40 are connected with the forward ends of the bucket at the portions reinforced by the bridge and by the reinforcing plates 15. Hoist line attachment devices 41 are also provided on the bucket sides.

Attaching angles 50 are mounted on the crest of the arched portion 6 of the bridge 5 and are suitably welded in position. The forward end ortions of these attaching angles 50 exten over and are welded to a U- shaped supporting member 51 welded to the underlying portion of the Z-bar 10.

` With this bucket construction the bucket ma bbe made comparatively light in Weight an -1s properly balanced so-as to be easily controlled and operated. Along with these advantages it is possible to construct the bucket body of a single piece of metal or two pieces of metal, ifthe latter be desired.

lao

And yet with this light weight, well balanced construction the bucket may not be and will not be distorted or collapsed because the sides of the bucket are rigidly maintained in proper position and are strengthened, braced and stifened in the main by the tubular or box-like bridge and also by other novel reinforcing means, that is, by the reinforcing strips 15 and .20. The bucket can also be made smooth on the inside to prevent dirt from sticking thereon.

The invention claimed is:

1; An excavating bucket comprising a bucket body having side walls and a tubular bracing bridge extending above and between the side walls and nected thereto, said tubular bracing bridge being made up of spaced plates and connecting pieces extending between and secured to said plates.

2. An excavating bucket comprising a bucket body having side walls and a tubular bracing bridge including an arched portion extending over the body of the bucket and between the side walls thereof and also including downwardly extending portions at its ends, said downwardly extending ortions being disposed along the outside o the side walls, said bridge being made up of a bottom plate, the lower `ends of which are rigidly and securely fastened to the' Side walls, a top plate, and bars disposed between and secured to the top and bottomA plates.

An excavating bucket comprising a bucket body7 having side walls and a tubular bracing bridge including an arched portion extending over the body of the bucket and between cluding downwardly extending portions at its ends, said downwardly extending vportions being disposed along the outside of the side walls, said bridge beingmade up of a bottom plate, the lower ends of which are i plates.

rigidly and securely fastened to the side walls, a top plate, and Z-bars disposed between and secured to the top and bottom 4. An excavating bucket comprising a ybucket body having side walls and a tubular bracing bridge including a portion extending over the body of the bucket and between the side walls thereof and also including downwardly extending portions at its ends,

lsaid downwardly extending portions being disposed adjacent the side walls, said bridge being made up of a bottom plate, the lower ends of which are rigidly and securely fastened to the side walls, a top plate, and connecting pieces disposed between and Welded to the top and bottom plates.

5. An excavating bucket comprising a' bucket body having side walls and a tubular bracing bridge including an arched portion 'extending over the body of the bucket and between the side Walls thereof and also inpositively and rigidly confastened to the side the side walls thereof and also including downwardly extending portions at its ends, said downwardly extending portions being disposed along the outside o the side walls, said bridge being made up of a bottom plate, the lower ends of which are rigidly and securely fastened to the side walls, a top plate, and Z-bars disposed between and secured to the top and bottom plates, said top plate and said Z-bars terminating short of the lower ends of the bottom plate to leave a flat portion thereof exposed to facilitate attachment of the tubular bridge to the side plates of the bucket body.

6. An excavating bucket comprising a bucket body having side walls and a tubular bracing bridge including an arched portion extending over the body of the bucket and side walls, said bridge being made up of a bottom plate, the lower ends of which are rigidly and securely fastened to the side walls, a top plate, and Z-bars disposed between and secured to`the top and bottom plates, said top plate and said Z-bars terminating short of the lower ends of the bottom plate to leave a 'flat portion thereof exposed to facilitate attachment of the tubular bridge to the sidewalls of the bucket body, and longitudinally extending reinforcing plates plates and to the exposed fiat end portions of the bottom plate of the tubular bridge.

. 00 7. An excavating bucket body having a 1 tubular, box-like bracing bridge extending between and secured to spaced walls thereof.

8. An lexcavating bucket comprising a bucket body having side walls, and a tubular, box-like bracing bridge extending between and above the side walls, said bridge having an arched portion overlying the bucket body and end portions secured to the side walls.

.9. An excavating bucket comprising a bucket body having side walls and a tubular bracing bridge including an arched portion extending over the body of the bucket and between the side walls thereof and also including downwardly extending portions being disposed along the outside of the side walls, said bridge being made up of a bot-v tom plate having its lower ends welded to the side walls, a top plate, and Z-bar's disposed between and welded to the top and` tion extending over the body of the bucket land between the side walls thereof and also including downwardly extending portions being disposed along the outside of the side walls, said bridge being made up of a bottom plate having its lower endsV welded to the side walls, a top plate, 'and Z-bars disposed between and welded to the top and bottom plates.

11. An excavating' bucket comprisin Y a bucket body having side walls' and a tu u-l lar, boxlike, bracing bridge having an arched ortion extendin above and between said si e walls and having tending portions overlappmg and secured to said side walls, said bridge being made up of spaced plates and connecting pieces disposed between and secured to vsaidplates.

12. An excavating bucket having side plates, a tubular bracing bridge made up of spaced plates and connecting pieces extending between and secured to said spaced plates, one of said plates having lower portions fitting flatly a ainst and extending over a large area o the side plates and means for securing said lower portions to said side plates.

13. An excavating bucket having side plates, a tubular bracing bridge made up of spaced plates and connecting pieces extending between and secured to said spaced plates, one of said plates having lower portions extending over a large area of the side plates,V means for securing said lower portlons to n said side plates, and reinforcing members secured to said lower portions and extending along and secured to said side plates.

In witness whereof, I hereto aiix my signature.

HOLGER L. MITCHELL.

downwardly ex-y 

